Gangers are fairly expendable, but tougher personal henchmen can be recruited at the neighborhood bars. These dives are also a good source of stat-boosting drinks as well as weapon and armor upgrades. Whether you want an alcoholic cocktail or a Molotov cocktail, these establishments should suit your needs perfectly.

Paradise City looks run down, but the game's visuals are far from it. Shadows and light, weather changes, shifts from day to night, and other interesting effects all play perfectly into the intense graphics and city atmosphere. The streets are bustling with more than gang activity as pedestrians walk around town, cars travel to-and-fro, and people go about their business amidst the chaos. Everything happens in real-time, so a watchful eye and a fast trigger finger are necessary when roaming the streets.

Two different camera modes provide their own unique perspectives and can make the game feel completely different depending on which one you choose. Strategy mode is an overhead view of your character and the city around them. It provides a good view of what's happening across a large area of the current neighborhood, and movement, combat, and other controls are handled with a simple point-and-click of the mouse. Action mode gives you a closer third-person view - much like in later Grand Theft Auto titles - with the camera settled just behind your character. This mode gives you more direct manual control over your character with movement and strafe controls handled with the WASD keys and surrounding buttons. Combat attacks and special skills are initiated with the mouse. Switching between the two camera modes is effortless, and both do a great job of giving you a front-row seat for the action.

Escape from Paradise City thrusts players into a dynamic gaming experience they won't soon forget. Some story elements may feel too common or even cliché at times, yet the high level of play control, enthralling locations, superb visual detail, and role-playing elements are some of the best we've seen lately. On the whole, the game knocks you to the curb, kicks you in the teeth, and makes you love every second of it. It's violent, sexy, and highly recommended.

By Nathan Meunier
CCC Freelance Writer

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